ALBUQUERQUE - The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team released its 2013-14 schedule this week.
Yvonne Sanchez, head coach of the Lobo women, said she wanted to build a tough schedule this season in an attempt to get UNM a shot at some national exposure.
“It was important for our program to raise our RPI and help raise the RPI of the conference,” Sanchez said. “We walked the fine line between a challenging schedule and a grueling one. Our non-conference schedule gives us some great opponents and challenges our team while continuing some of our program’s tremendous rivalries.”
Among the highlights of the Lobos’ schedule is a date with Stanford, one of the top programs in the west, as well as Texas Tech, Texas, Colorado and Arkansas.
The Lobos have nine non-conference home games scheduled this season, including a pair of exhibition contests. Eight of those nine appearances will be in the month of November.
UNM’s date with Stanford, the defending Pac-12 champion, is scheduled for Dec. 16 in Palo Alto, Calif.

Aggies sign with pro franchises

A trio of former New Mexico State University baseball players will go on to pro careers, having signed Major League contracts this week.
Ryan Beck, left-handed pitcher for the Aggies, infielder Parker Hipp and catcher Tanner Rust have all signed contracts with Major League clubs. Beck was drafted in the 30th round of the 2013 amateur draft, while Hipp and Rust were offered free agent deals.
Beck was drafted by the Detroit Tigers, going as player No. 906. Hipp signed with the Houston Astros and Rust with the Baltimore Orioles.
“It’s big time and it gives me another chance to keep playing,” Beck said. “I have mixed emotions about it all, actually. I am excited and anxious. It feels like when I started college.”
Beck finished his career as the No. 2 all-time pitcher in strikeouts for the Aggies, earning 308 punch-outs at the school. Beck was also No. 2 all-time in starts (50) and No. 3 in career wins (26).
Hipp played more games in his career than anyone else in NMSU history with 213 appearances.
Hipp, a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection, will play for the Greenville (Tenn.) Astros.
During his career, Hipp ended up as NMSU’s all-time leader in walks (159) and finished with 194 RBI, third most in school history.
Rust will play for Aberdeen (Md.) for the IronBirds in short-season play. During his career at NMSU, he hit .356 in three seasons, including a team-leading .375 in 2013.
He also had 7 home runs and 54 RBI.
The Aggies finished the 2013 season with a record of 29-28.

NMSU XC picks up two transfers

LAS CRUCES - The New Mexico State University cross country team got National Letters of Intent from a pair of transfers this week.
Erik Perez of San Bernardino Valley College (Calif.) and Nate Starr from Everett Community College (Wash.) elected to join the Aggie running program, NMSU cross country coach Orin Richburg announced Wednesday.
Perez competed in both cross country and track at San Bernardino, posting a personal record time of 15:22.37 in the 5,000 meters during the spring. Starr, who is joining former Everett teammates Hab Rubio and Aaron Campbell, who also transferred to NMSU, helped Everett win the 2012 North Regional cross country championship.
“Having Erik on the team for next fall will provide our team with an additional seasoned runner that can handle the unpredictable twists and turns of the sport,” assistant coach Christopher Huff said. “The addition of Nate was pivotal to our team dynamic going forward.”